Innovation

📊 The 2024 Restaurant Technology Landscape Report reveals that 76% of operators see tech as a competitive advantage, yet 23% feel behind in tech adoption. 45% of operators need more staff, while 27% struggle with hiring and retention. Automating tasks, such as temperature checks that cost $2.6 million annually for chains with 1,000 locations, can save time and money. Quick-service restaurants use 10x more energy per square foot than other retailers, with 80% of this energy being wasted. Embracing IoT could help streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. Authors Tom Woodbury and Peter Cryan emphasize the importance of scalable solutions for profitability.

💳 French bank BNP Paribas and Chinese FinTech Ant International signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 3, 2024, in Zurich to enhance cross-border payment solutions in Europe. The partnership focuses on integrating BNP Paribas' acquiring service with Alipay+, enabling acceptance of payments from over 25 international mobile partners. Ant International's WorldFirst will increase its SEPA scheme participation, backed by BNP Paribas sponsorship, to streamline online payments within the SEPA Zone. Additionally, the collaboration will explore tokenised deposits for global treasury management using Ant International's Whale platform, incorporating blockchain and AI. The partnership builds on a relationship initiated in 2016 with the rollout of Alipay+ in Europe.

✈ Sabre Corporation launched Air Canada's full content via NDC in its travel marketplace, enabling travel agents to shop, book, and service Air Canada offers alongside other content. NDC is available in multiple markets, including Canada, Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, and several European and Middle Eastern countries. Air Canada's EVP Mark Nasr emphasized the importance of travel trade partners and a smooth transition to NDC. Sabre VP Kathy Morgan highlighted the benefits of their technology in maintaining operational efficiency and workflow integrity for travel agencies.

🚙 Focus Travel Partnership partnered with International Rail, making it the preferred global rail tech provider for Focus TMC partners. The partnership offers access to over 66,000 point-to-point rail routes in Europe, as well as routes in North America, Japan, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, including UK domestic travel. International Rail's digital technology platform, 1track, facilitates this global rail booking access for Focus TMC partners, offering a sustainable travel alternative. The collaboration aims to innovate and shape the future of global business travel.

🏠 Wakanow.com, a major African travel seller, partners with Outpayce for virtual cards in B2B Wallet to pay suppliers like airlines and hotels. Group CEO Bayo Adedeji touts quick, easy payments and reduced reconciliation time, while Kalabash54.com CEO Ladi Ojuri highlights fraud risk mitigation. Outpayce's Claudio Santos suggests a 30% increase in virtual card acceptance with the right insights and data.

🍺 Beef 'O' Brady's, a US sports bar chain present in over 20 states, collaborates with SoundHoundAI for phone order placements using voice AI technology, which is now live in all corporate locations and available for franchises. The AI handles 100% of calls, even multiple orders simultaneously, and can answer menu-related questions, enhancing service efficiency especially ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics. SoundHound's voice AI is deployed in over 10,000 restaurants and has recently acquired Allset to expand its reach.

🔎 Beef 'O' Brady's partners with SoundHoundAI for AI-assisted ordering in its family sports bar and grill chain across more than 20 U.S. states. The AI, trained on Beef 'O’Brady’s menu, responds to natural speech for phone orders. With 100% call answer rate during peak times, the AI handles simultaneous orders and customer inquiries. The technology is part of the preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics. SoundHound AI, employed in over 10,000 restaurant locations, recently acquired Allset to expand its reach.

🍽 Beef 'O' Brady's, operating in 20+ US states, uses SoundHoundAI's voice AI for phone orders. The AI, trained on the chain's extensive menu, handles 100% of calls, even during busy periods like the 2024 Summer Olympics. SoundHound's technology, deployed in over 10,000 restaurants, recently acquired Allset to grow its reach. Approximately 80% of U.S. diners expect AI to dominate food ordering soon. For more, visit www.soundhound.com.

🍕 Beef 'O' Brady's, operating in more than 20 states, partners with SoundHoundAI for phone ordering via voice AI, which is fully deployed in all corporate locations and available for franchise integration. SoundHound's voice AI answers 100% of calls, even during high volumes, allowing staff to focus on service and meal prep. Ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, the technology is expected to offer seamless ordering for customers. SoundHound's AI, deployed in over 10,000 locations, recently acquired the Allset ordering platform, indicating expansion within the restaurant industry. Nearly 80% of U.S. diners foresee AI voice assistants dominating food ordering soon.